You know what had me thinking in this way: I just attended an Onam celebration event at a local Malayalee samajam. It was good, in fact very good. There was indeed a great amount of Onam mood created using traditional music and art events and the all too special Onam Sadya with 4 varieties of Payasam, Avial, Sambar and so on. A big gathering of people from kerala, people who have been in USA for 20 + years to people like me who are like seasonal migratory birds flying in and out periodically. For all the people who drove from varying distances to MGM Hall, Garland, TX the goal was to make up for a lost Onam "At Home". The goal did succeed to an extent, at least for me. I felt nostalgic memories of my early days in Kerala and then through years until my college days, after which I was pulled to wherever my job needed me to be, to beat the world in a competition which has milestones but no finish line.
Back to the event. The venue greeted people with panchvadyam to bring in the feeling of Onam. Ironically though, the artists wore jeans and t shirts instead of the regular dhoties. The events ranged from Bharathanatyam and Thiruvathirakali to Chenda Melam and dances to the latest Tamil songs. A great variety indeed.
After all the "festivities" when we started back, it was like a re-enactment of my first trip to the USA. Driving to Jefferson Park where I stay, and getting back to the reality. Here I am typing this, knowing fully well where I am but not knowing where my mind is. Yet a day later, I'll be back to work and so should my mind. There is no escaping the reality of this...But till then, Happy Onam.
The Hall...
Mahabali Of The Day
Chenda Melam...
Maveli with Thalapoli ladies in the backgound
Thiruvathirakali...
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